Conservatories and Orangeries 

An orangery was a building in the grounds of fashionable residences from the 17th to the 19th centuries and given a classicising architectural form. The orangery was similar to a greenhouse or conservatory.  

 

The name reflects the original use of the building as a place where citrus trees were often wintered in tubs under cover, surviving through harsh frosts though not expected to flower and fruit.  

 

The orangery provided a luxurious extension of the normal range and season of woody plants, extending the protection which had long been afforded by the warmth offered from a brick fruit wall. 

A century after the use for orange and lime trees had been established, other varieties of tender plants, shrubs and exotic plants also came to be housed in the orangery, which often gained a stove for the upkeep of these delicate plants in the cold winters of northern Europe. 

 

The orangery originated from the Renaissance gardens of Italy, when glass-making technology enabled sufficient expanses of clear glass to be produced. 

 

Today, you can have your own orangery supplied by Windows of Cheshire Ltd which will be a beautiful addition to your home.